The air is getting crisper, Halloween costumes are in the stores, and football is a regular program in our home again…this all means one thing to my youngest daughter. It’s pumpkin time! To those of you who have felt the draw of the pumpkin patch, you probably understand my mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I love the hot chocolate, the fun of picking out a pumpkin (or pumpkins…we need an entire pumpkin FAMILY), and the hayride to and from the pumpkin patch. On the other hand, there’s the scale at the end of this journey. The scale to weigh our pumpkins…and the heavier they are, the lighter our wallets become. You’ll recognize me if you see me waiting in line for the scale…I’m the mom juggling 3 pumpkins, hooking a toddler with her leg, and eyeballing the nice lady at the checkout. Did she push down on that scale with her finger?
But really, at the end of the day, the experience far outweighs the money and the pumpkins. My husband is a big fan of Halloween, so we’re already gearing up. My daughters are looking forward to our trip this year, and already planning how to decorate their own personal pumpkin. Little man will obviously enjoy many photo ops, and I’ll make it through that checkout line without having a panic attack, even if they do pick the biggest pumpkins in the entire state. And the memories will be there to enjoy for years to come.
I think that’s what so many people are looking for today—the EXPERIENCE. We are saturated with STUFF in our society. I have closets and rooms and toy boxes filled with STUFF. Finding a place, a season, or a company that provides an experience is a treasure. That’s why I’ll be at the pumpkin patch this year, celebrating fall with my family. And that’s why I’ll be at Afena Federal Credit Union later that week, setting up a savings club account for the other experiences the holiday season will bring. I’m Claire, the Afena blog mom. Thanks for reading.